Chapter 40

Chapter 40 Direction

Looking at the letter ahead, Dorothy felt a surge of excitement, but after recalling what Audric had said just now, she felt a bit of doubt.

‘Again, this thing called poison recognition… I’ve never felt it before, but everyone seems to take it seriously. Should I ask about it while I have the chance?’

With these thoughts, Dorothy organized her words and spoke directly.

“Sir, there’s one more question I’d like to ask you. Do you have any understanding of ‘poison recognition’?” Dorothy asked, trying to show that she was not completely ignorant of the subject.

“Understanding of poison recognition… Haha, Miss Meyshos, this isn’t something that can be understood.” Hearing Dorothy’s words, Audric laughed and then said. This made Dorothy pause.

“Can’t be understood? Why?”

“Because… 3 pounds for consultation…” Audric said as he weighed his hand in front of Dorothy, who looked coldly at him. She then returned the 3 pounds out of the 20 she had just received. After taking the money, Audric continued speaking.

“Because no one can truly understand poison recognition. It has existed since ancient times, embedded within all knowledge, especially the mysterious kind, which is incredibly profound. The deeper the mystery, the heavier the poison. Any extraordinary being wishing to learn mystical knowledge must endure the trials of poison recognition. Those who fail to withstand it will go mad at best, d*e at worst, or lose control entirely. Poison recognition is a barrier in front of all seekers of the unknown, a significant obstacle for those ascending the path of the extraordinary.”

As he spoke, Audric’s expression became serious.

“There have been many studies on poison recognition, but none have yielded results. No one knows exactly what it is, why it exists, or how to understand its essence. We can only defend against it through experience. This is the poison of knowledge. If anyone could truly understand the essence of poison recognition, it would likely be a deity…

“I—and most extraordinary beings—understand little more than this. This information isn’t worth much, so I’ll charge you accordingly. Lastly, I must warn you, Miss Meyshos. When reading the mysterious, always be well-prepared. I assume you have your methods, right?”

Hearing Audric’s words, Dorothy was slightly stunned, then nodded silently.

‘Poison recognition… a toxicity within knowledge, its true nature unclear, yet it is an obstacle for all extraordinary beings seeking advancement?’

…

The streets of Igewent were brightly lit at night. Streetlights on both sides were illuminated, and many shops remained open. Pedestrians still walked along the sidewalks, though the city was not as bustling as in Dorothy’s previous life. However, it was far more lively compared to Vukan.

On the street, carriages came and went. At this moment, Dorothy was riding in one of them.

After bidding farewell to Audric, Dorothy prepared to head home. She found that there were no carriages available to take her back. Just as she was considering using the zombie puppet ring to manipulate a dead horse and ride home, Audric appeared promptly and offered Dorothy the school carriage.

He charged her 10 coins, which was nearly ten times the usual fare.

‘F*ck, this guy is essentially a businessman. He even charges for small things like this! What’s with all this talk about craftsmanship!’

Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy crossed her arms and couldn’t help feeling annoyed. Audric’s sudden imposition of fees genuinely upset her.

From another perspective, however, this was also a sign of his adherence to rules. Yet, it wasn’t entirely negative. For instance, before leaving, Audric promised not to reveal any of her information, regardless of whether it was the An Yin Bureau or the Crimson Eucharist.

“Rest assured, Miss Meyshos. Since we’ve done several transactions, you’re a client of our Artisan Guild. By rule, I would never sell any client’s information.”

Recalling Audric’s words, Dorothy thought that if he really kept secrets, she could feel more at ease.

The Crimson Eucharist had failed this time, and no one survived to report back. Therefore, the Holy Communion would not know that Dorothyia Meyshos was extraordinary. They would attribute the failure to the intervention of the Gray Hill, believing their subordinates accidentally alerted the Gray Hill.

‘I can’t remain passive. Once my promotion is complete, I should start planning active countermeasures. But come to think of it, how did the Holy Communion gather such detailed information about me? Knowing my schedule last time and now knowing which school I attend… Something feels off…’

Carrying her doubts, Dorothy continued riding in the carriage. Soon, the carriage arrived at Nan Yang Flower Road, stopping in front of the apartment building where she lived.

After bidding farewell to the school carriage driver, Dorothy, as usual, slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed upstairs. As she opened the door, she saw Gregor putting on his coat.

“Oh… Holy Son bless you, Dorothy. I was worried something happened to you. You usually don’t come home this late,” Gregor sighed in relief upon seeing Dorothy at the door. Dorothy shrugged and replied lightly.

“Don’t worry, Gregor. I just spent extra time with my teacher discussing some study problems. That’s why I’m back so late. You know, we girls can’t take evening classes, so our grades are often behind the boys’. Since a teacher is willing to tutor me after class, I want to make the most of the opportunity.”

Dorothy smiled. Hearing his sister’s words, Gregor also breathed a sigh of relief and said happily.

“After-class tutoring? That’s wonderful! What a kind teacher. If you can improve your grades because of this, you must thank him. Someday, I’ll buy some gifts for him.”

‘There’s no need for gifts… The money I spent with him could cover tuition for ten years…’

Dorothy muttered to herself, then entered the room and put away her belongings. She joined Gregor for dinner. During the meal, Dorothy suddenly had a thought and asked Gregor.

“By the way, Gregor, do you need to register family information for work?”

“Family information… Well, because the work we do is somewhat dangerous, if anything happens, we need to contact family members. So, family information needs to be registered,” Gregor replied after some thought. As a member of the An Yin Bureau, family verification was absolutely necessary.

“So… Do you need to explain your situation when taking leave?”

“Of course, otherwise, how could they approve your leave?” Gregor said naturally, then added with some confusion.

“Why are you asking all these questions now?”

“Oh, nothing. I just wanted to get some information about different companies in Igewent to prepare for employment after graduation,” Dorothy said, making up a reason. However, after hearing Dorothy’s explanation, Gregor began to listen seriously.

“After graduation… Let me tell you, Dorothy. I told you before not to think about working like me. In my opinion, you should consider becoming a lawyer. You might not know, but nowadays, everyone needs a lawyer. This profession is very lucrative! Otherwise, you could try taking the civil service exam. Civil servants in Igewent are quite good. Through my work, I’ve come across…”

From then on, the dinner turned into a lecture from Gregor about career guidance. Dorothy listened patiently for a long time, then left hurriedly after finishing the meal.

Entering her room, Dorothy immediately locked the door, turned on the desk lamp, and took out an envelope from her backpack. Then, she sat down at her desk.

“My career direction has been set for a long time…”

Looking at the envelope in her hand, Dorothy murmured softly.